Assignment

Cognitive Development in Adults

The Discussions in this course include several components. You may not be able to address all of these topics in a single post. You will need to plan to return to the Discussion several times during the week to weigh in on the topics. Please make sure you do so as part of both original posts as well as in replies to your classmates. Remember that your grade for the Discussion Board comprises both original postings and your contributions through replies. Both are great places to introduce new information, opinions, links, etc., and both are equally important to your grade.

The application of adult learning theory may impact the metacognitive processes of the adult learner. For example, it is expected that an adult learner become more independent and self-directed in learning activities. To enhance one dimension of cognitive functioning, memory, the adult student must consider independently how he/she best processes information for entry into memory for retrieval as needed.

In your first post, define the dimensions of cognitive functioning of memory, intelligence, cognitive development, and wisdom. Describe how it may impact metacognitive processes of adult learners.

In your second post, you will apply your knowledge of cognitive functioning to this scenario:

The adult learner classroom often has a unique and diverse population of students in attendance. Ms. Smith teaches a first-semester, required American history course. Choose two students from the class roster below and discuss how one or more of the dimensions of cognitive functions may influence classroom success and steps or activities a facilitator of the class may take to assist that student.

1. Henry is an award winning athlete who has always struggled with academics. He is a first-semester freshman who needs to remain in academic good standing.

2. Sally is a returning college student who wants to graduate from college now that all her children are grown. She wants to study to be a nurse.

3. John is a Veteran student who is attending college on Veteran Benefits for the first time. He has a wife and two children. John wants to be an engineer.

4. Ayi is a traditional-aged Japanese international student. She came from Japan to study business administration.

5. Matthew is studying computer information systems. He had a 504 plan in high school and is documented with the college's disability office as a student with a learning disability.

6. Susan is coming to college directly from high school, but is unsure about her major or future career goals.

7. John is attending college as a career-changer. He has worked his way up the ladder in his industry, but can't advance further without a degree.

Assignment: Literature Review, Contemporary Practices, Theories and Models

In this unit, you will reopen your Final Project APA paper and complete the following sections:

• Literature Review
• Contemporary Practices for Teaching Adult Learners
• Adult Learning Theories and Models

You may revisit the Unit 2 Discussion where you and your peers created a comparison chart of contemporary and traditional theories and models affected by emerging contemporary issues. You may also research some of the cited resources within that Discussion.

Assignment Directions

1. Open your Final Project APA paper you saved and revised from Unit 2.

2. Create the Literature Review section and answer the following question: What is known about the contemporary emerging issue you selected in Unit 2? To answer this question, complete the following:

? Use at least three current articles to gather information about your emerging contemporary issue you selected in Unit 2 and its relationship to adult education.

? Explain the emerging contemporary issue you selected in Unit 2.

? Describe the relationship of the emerging contemporary issue to adult education.

? Synthesize the research into essay form using standard APA citation.

? This section should be 1 to 2 pages long.

3. Create the Contemporary Practices for Teaching Adult Learners section and answer the following question: What are adult educators currently doing in the adult classroom to address your emerging contemporary issue selected in Unit 2? To answer this question, complete the following:

? Discuss the practices traditionally used in adult education and compare them to your chosen emerging issue from Unit 2.

? Discuss the pros and cons of the traditional practices you discovered in relation to your contemporary emerging issue you selected in Unit

2. You may find practices that could be successful or need to be improved.

? Support your discussion with proper APA citations from current articles and/or course materials.
? This section should be approximately 1 to 2 pages long.

4. Create the Adult Learning and Theories and Models section and answer the following question: How does your contemporary, emerging issue align with either traditional learning theories and/or adult learning theories? To answer this question, complete the following:

? Discuss how your chosen contemporary, emerging issue from Unit 2 affects traditional or contemporary theories.

? Explore how traditional and contemporary theories have a positive or negative impact on your chosen contemporary, emerging issue you selected in Unit 2.

? Support your discussion with proper APA citations from current articles and/or course materials.

? This section should be approximately 1 to 2 pages long.

Refer to information in the Major Assignment and Rubrics links under Course Home for more information.

This Assignment addresses the unit learning outcome:

? Compare traditional and adult learning-based theories and models.
? Examine how economic, historical, and sociocultural contexts impact upon adult education.

It also addresses the following course outcomes:

HE521-2: Compare traditional and adult learning-based theories and models.

HE521-5: Analyze emerging issues regarding the teaching of adults.